PATTON AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE  by Green, Michael; Green, Gladys

Osceola, 1999, MBI publishing, first US edition, first US edition, paper covers, 8 1/2 11 , VG condition, glossy page stock, 160 pages, prof. illustrated with photos and situation maps, index................................................... The powerful German counteroffensive operation code-named 1 "Wacht am Rhein" (Watch on the Rhine), launched against the American First Army in the early morning hours of December 16, 1944, would result in the greatest single extended land battle of World War II. To most Americans the fierce series of battles fought in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium and Luxembourg from December 1944 through January 1945 is better known as the "Battle of the Bulge." Nearly one million soldiers would eventually take part in the fighting. At its high point, the German offensive operation would create a crescent-shaped "bulge" behind American lines 60 miles deep and 80 miles wide....................................................................... While Patton's first official notice of the German's Ardennes Offensive didn't come until the day the Germans began their advance, he had anticipated the attack four days before and directed his staff to make a study of what the Third Army would do if called upon to counterattack such a breakthrough. His foresight paid off.Patton and the Battle of the Bulge is the incredible story of what Patton and his Third Army did when the Germans pushed through the Ardennes. Combat details, maps, quotes from Patton and his men, and accounts from the German side of the battle highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each side, offering an unprecedented look at what happened those snowy months in 1944 and 1945. Over 195 photographs and detailed sidebars highlighting the geography of the battlefields, the American Armored Division organization, Volksgrenadier Divisions, and Task Force Ezell, make Patton and the Battle of the Bulge a great source for any casual history reader and a must-read for Patton enthusiasts.